Systems and methods for life plan generation and management

ABSTRACT

A life plan management (LPM) computing device for connecting consumers with producers is provided. The LPM computing device may be in communication with a client computing device and may include a processor. The processor may be programmed to i) receive user input including at least one goal, ii) analyze the at least one goal to determine a plurality of categories, iii) store the plurality of categories, iv) analyze at least one of the plurality of categories to determine a plurality of producers, v) store the plurality of producers, vi) generate an interactive life map including the at least one goal, and enabling the consumer to access the plurality of producers by navigating the life map to select the at least one goal and the at least one category, vii) and cause the interactive life map to be displayed on the client computing device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/949,155, filed Dec. 17, 2019 and entitled“Life Plan Management Platform,” the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference, in their entirety and for all purposes,herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to life plan management platforms and,more particularly, to systems and methods for using a life planmanagement platform that enables users to dynamically generate andmaintain a life map, and to interface with producers to help realizegoals included in the life map.

BACKGROUND

At least some conventional computer networks (e.g., matching platforms)have enabled consumers to be matched with producers. However,conventional systems usually merely match consumers with producers, andmay not provide additional functionality. Further, in the known systems,consumers may not be able to dynamically control their profile and goalsto better match themselves with particular producers. Known systems mayhave other drawbacks as well.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present embodiments may relate to systems and methods forelectronically connecting consumers with producers. The system mayinclude a life plan management computing device, one or more third partyservers, one or more client devices, and/or one or more databases. Inone aspect, the consumer flow of interfacing with a life plan management(LPM) computing device may start with the creation of a life map, whichis comprised of a series of goals. Once a goal is selected, there may belinks to associated categories, subcategories, and producers displayedto the user, as discussed further herein.

In one aspect, a life plan management (LPM) computing device forconnecting consumers with producers is provided. The LPM computingdevice is in communication with a client computing device and includesat least one processor in communication with at least one memory device.The at least one processor is programmed to i) receive user input fromthe client computing device, the user input including at least one goalicon selected by the consumer, ii) analyze the at least one goal todetermine a plurality of categories associated with the at least onegoal, iii) store, in the at least one memory device, the plurality ofcategories in association with the at least one goal, iv) analyze atleast one of the plurality of categories to determine a plurality ofproducers associated with the at least one category, v) store, in the atleast one memory device, the plurality of producers in association withthe at least one category, vi) generate an interactive life map for theconsumer, the interactive life map including the at least one goal, andenabling the consumer to access the plurality of producers by navigatingthe life map to select the at least one goal and the at least onecategory, vii) and cause the interactive life map to be displayed on theclient computing device. The LPM computing device may includeadditional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein.

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method for connectingconsumers with producers is implemented using a life plan management(LPM) computing device in communication with a client computing device.The LPM computing device includes at least one processor incommunication with at least one memory device. The method includes i)receiving user input from the client computing device, the user inputincluding at least one goal for the consumer, ii) analyzing the at leastone goal to determine a plurality of categories associated with the atleast one goal, iii) storing, in the at least one memory device, theplurality of categories in association with the at least one goal, iv)analyzing at least one of the plurality of categories to determine aplurality of producers associated with the at least one category, v)storing, in the at least one memory device, the plurality of producersin association with the at least one category, vi) generating aninteractive life map for the consumer, the interactive life mapincluding the at least one goal, and enabling the consumer to access theplurality of producers by navigating the life map to select the at leastone goal and the at least one category, and vii) causing the interactivelife map to be displayed on the client computing device. The method mayinclude additional, less, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

In a further aspect, a life plan management (LPM) computing device isprovided. The LPM computing device includes at least one processor incommunication with at least one memory device. The LPM computing deviceis in communication with a client computing device. The at least oneprocessor is programmed to i) cause a plurality of goal icons to bedisplayed on the client computing device, where each goal icon of theplurality of goal icons is associated with a goal of a plurality ofgoals, ii) receive user input from the client computing device, the userinput including at least one goal icon selected by a consumer associatedwith the client computing device, iii) determine at least one goalassociated with the selected at least one goal icon; iv) generate aninteractive life plan for the consumer, the life plan including the atleast one goal, and one or more steps for the consumer to achieve the atleast one goal; and v) cause the interactive life plan to be displayedon the client computing device. The LPM computing device may includeadditional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein.

In a still further aspect, a computer-implemented method for connectingconsumers with producers is provided. The method is implemented using alife plan management (LPM) computing device including at least oneprocessor in communication with at least one memory device. The LPMcomputing device is in communication with a client computing device. Themethod includes i) causing a plurality of goal icons to be displayed onthe client computing device, where each goal icon of the plurality ofgoal icons is associated with a goal of a plurality of goals, ii)receiving user input from the client computing device, the user inputincluding at least one goal icon selected by a consumer associated withthe client computing device, iii) determining at least one goalassociated with the selected at least one goal icon, iv) generating aninteractive life plan for the consumer, the life plan including the atleast one goal, and one or more steps for the consumer to achieve the atleast one goal, and v) causing the interactive life plan to be displayedon the client computing device. The method may include additional, less,or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The Figures described below depict various aspects of the systems andmethods disclosed therein. It should be understood that each Figuredepicts an embodiment of a particular aspect of the disclosed systemsand methods, and that each of the Figures is intended to accord with apossible embodiment thereof. Further, wherever possible, the followingdescription refers to the reference numerals included in the followingFigures, in which features depicted in multiple Figures are designatedwith consistent reference numerals.

There are shown in the drawings arrangements which are presentlydiscussed, it being understood, however, that the present embodimentsare not limited to the precise arrangements and are instrumentalitiesshown, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary life plan management computer system forelectronically connecting consumers to producers in accordance with thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration of an exemplary usercomputing device that may be used in the life plan management computersystem illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary configuration of an exemplary servercomputing device that may be used in the life plan management computersystem illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary computer-implementedmethod implemented by the exemplary life plan management computer systemshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram of components of one or more exemplarycomputing devices that may be used in the life plan management computersystem shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary interactive life map that may begenerated using the life plan management computer system shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary category display that may be generatedusing the life plan management computer system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary sub-category display that may begenerated using the life plan management computer system shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary producer display that may be generatedusing the life plan management computer system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary feedback dashboard that may begenerated using the life plan management computer system shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary producer portal that may be generatedusing the life plan management computer system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary avatar dashboard that may be generatedusing the life plan management computer system shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary social media feed that may be generatedusing the life plan management computer system shown in FIG. 1.

The Figures depict preferred embodiments for purposes of illustrationonly. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the followingdiscussion that alternative embodiments of the systems and methodsillustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principlesof the invention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present embodiments may relate to, inter alia, systems and methodsfor connecting consumers with producers to facilitate achieving goalsassociated with the consumers. In one exemplary embodiment, the processmay be performed by a life plan management (LPM) computer system (alsoreferred to herein as a LPM platform (LPMP)). In one aspect, theconsumer flow of interfacing with a life plan management (LPM) computingdevice may start with the creation of a life map, which is comprised ofa series of goals. Once a goal is selected, there may be links toassociated categories, subcategories, and producers displayed to theuser, as discussed further herein. As used herein, a producer is aprovider of goods or services that will help the consumer in achievingone or more steps to their goals.

As described below, the systems and methods described herein mayleverage data aggregation and machine learning techniques to identifyproducers and products that may help a consumer in achieving theirgoals. The systems and methods described herein may automaticallydetermine suggested actions to help the consumer, and provide thosesuggested actions to the consumer as alerts. Accordingly, the systemsand methods described herein ensure that consumers are quickly connectedwith producers and products that will assist them in realizing theirgoals.

Exemplary Life Plan Management Platform

The systems and methods described herein may be implemented using a lifeplan management platform (LPMP). As used herein, a ‘platform’ may referto a computer-implemented environment that facilitates exchanging valuebetween producers (which may also be referred to as providers) andconsumers. For example, at least some known platforms may enable bothretail sales and third party marketplace sales using e-commerce.Platforms may include a marketplace, a runtime environment, and a toolkit.

The marketplace of a platform may facilitate the exchange of value. Forexample, the marketplace may be what attracts both consumers andproducers to the platform. As more consumers join the platform, moreproducers are likely to join the platform. Further, as more producersjoin the platform, more consumers are likely to join the platform. Theruntime environment of the platform may be the technology that enablesconsumers and products to participate in the platform. Further, the toolkit of the platform may enable parties to add value to the platform.

Successful platforms may generally encourage third parties to supportthe platform, which results in faster time to market, increasedcollaboration, and increased partnership opportunities. This may attractand leverage creative talent from multiple sources, create newmonetization opportunities, and reduce friction for both consumers andproducers.

The LPMP, as described herein, may assist consumers in discovering theirgoals and aspirations, where they want to be in life, and what servicesthey need to get there. The marketplace for the LPMP may have a digitalhub (e.g., a web platform) that interfaces with client computing devicesat physical locations, such as retail or consumer outreach locations.Further, the runtime environment for the LPMP may be cloud scalable, andmay support big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). Forexample, regarding big data analytics, the runtime environment mayprocess high volumes, varieties, and velocities of data to enablecollecting more data, achieving better analytics, generating betterproducts, and attracting more customers (which itself necessarilyresults in more data). The runtime environment may also be applicationprogramming interface (API) extendable, and may support a personalizede-commerce experience for consumers. The runtime environment may alsosupport secure multi-party computation capabilities.

The tool kit for the LPMP may include, for example, discovery,integration, incubation, release and deploy, and/or analytical tools.For example, the tool kit may include a discover tool that provides anenvironment that allows producers to discover consumer needs that arenot being met within the current marketplace on the LPMP. The tool kitmay also include an integration tool that provides an environment thatallows producers to easily integrate products into the marketplaceimplemented using LPMP. The tool kit may also include an incubation toolthat provides an incubation environment that provides producers with afull suite of software and data development and deployment tools. Thetool kit may also include a release and deploy tool that provides for anorchestrated release and deployment pipeline for products, and allowsfor all various functions (e.g., applications, infrastructure, database,security, compliance, etc.) to persist as code. This may allow producersto continuously deploy products on the LPMP. The tool kit may alsoinclude an analytics tool that provides a self-service analyticsenvironment that allows producers to monitor costs, product usage,consumer feedback, and/or digital behavior.

For producers, the LPMP may provide access to a large, establishedconsumer base, and access to a large trusted workforce to facilitate thesale of products to consumers. Further, the LPMP may drive innovationthrough access to secure consumer behavioral data through consumers'digital avatars. This behavioral data may be provided (with permissionfrom the consumer) to producers via the tool kit with totaltransparency. Using the tool kit, producers may also access secureproduct usage events to understand the competitive landscape, and mayaccess secure consumer feedback events to understand product enhancementopportunities.

For the party operating the platform, the LPMP may provide anunderstanding of consumer behavior through their digital actions. TheLPMP may also provide a mechanism to discover the next generation ofproducts that meet consumer needs, and may enable product innovationthrough a blending of industries. Further, the LPMP may establish longterm consumers, providing long term value.

Exemplary Life Maps

As explained above, the LPMP may enable a consumer to generate,maintain, and update a dynamic life map. The life map is a digital,actionable life map created by the consumer and personalized to theconsumer. Using the life map generated on the LPMP, the consumer canexplore their goals and aspirations, where they want to be in life, andwhat services they need to get there. In the exemplary embodiment, theconsumer interacts with the life map digitally over the LPMP (e.g.,using a client computing device). Alternatively, the consumer mayinteract with a physical version of the life map (e.g., a versiondownloaded from the LPMP). For example, the consumer may meet with acoach to generate and/or review the physical version of the life map.

To make the life map actionable, third party producers (e.g., partiesother than the consumer and the operator of the LPMP) may provideproducts through the LPMP. Producers may have a partnership with theoperator of the LPMP for existing products. Alternatively, oradditionally, producers may use the LPMP as a development environment todrive generation of new, innovative products. Accordingly, the platformmay serve as an incubation environment for new businesses/start-ups insome embodiments.

In the exemplary embodiment, actions on the life map may be enabledthrough the generation and maintenance of a digital data footprint or“avatar” that corresponds to the consumer. The avatar may be an eventrich, secure data object that is fully managed by the consumer. As partof the functionality of the LPMP, insights gained from data (e.g.,derived using any suitable level of data analytics) may be used to matchproducers and/or products, at the appropriate time, to the appropriateconsumer.

Further, a consumer may receive dynamic notifications from the LPMP whenan event occurs that impacts one or more goals in the consumer's lifemap. For example, notifications may be generated when events helpachieve goals or delay goals in the life map. Further, notifications maybe generated when goals in the life map reach fulfillment. The goals mayalso be broken down further into steps, actions, and/or milestones toassist the consumer in achieving or completing the goal. Each milestonemay represent the completion of a series of steps and/or actions.

In the exemplary embodiment, the LPMP may enable a consumer to develop alife map, independent of and unbounded by product offerings fromproducers. Further, the LPMP may allow consumers to access a variety ofproducts, within the context of their life plans, as defined and managedby them. Through the LPMP, the consumer may access an experience thatcan be fully or partially digital, and can be enhanced by users that arefamiliar with the consumer's geographic area. Further, the consumer canuse the LPMP to manage and utilize their avatar as they see fit,including monetizing their avatar. In the exemplary embodiment,participation in the LPMP may avoid generating advertisements. Further,the LPMP may not include marketplace bias based on products selected byconsumers.

Exemplary Feedback Through the LPMP Platform

Through the LPMP, the consumer may receive feedback, including advice,guidance, and motivation from a plurality of sources. For example,consumers may receive feedback from users associated with the operatorof the LPMP. For example, in some embodiments, the LPMP may be operatedby an insurance provider. In such embodiments, the consumers may receivefeedback from agents, policyholders, accountholders, and/or employees ofthe insurance provider.

In addition, consumers may also receive feedback from their friends andfamily. Specifically, the LPMP may interface with a social medianetwork, enabling the consumer to post, upload, and/or otherwise shareinformation regarding their life map and the goals within their lifemap. Friends and family may review the shared information and providefeedback, through the social media network and/or through the LPMP. Theshared information can include, but is not limited to, personal stories,articles, videos, checklists, and testimonials.

Notably, through the LPMP, consumers may have the ability to analyzetheir own avatar, discover insights regarding their life map, and sharetheir insights with a community. The community may include otherconsumers, individuals associated with the operator of the LPMP, and/orindividuals associated with the producers. This functionality may enableconsumers to become producers themselves, which may generatenon-expected results that add value to the LPMP.

Further, a consumer may receive dynamic notifications from the LPMP whenan event occurs that impacts one or more goals in the consumer's lifemap. For example, notifications may be generated when events helpachieve goals or delay goals in the life map. Further, notifications maybe generated when goals in the life map reach fulfillment.

Exemplary Producers and Products on the LPMP Platform

Using the LPMP platform, consumers may be matched to producers to enableaccess to products that assist the consumers in fulfilling goals intheir respective life maps. As used herein, a producer is a provider ofgoods or services that will help the consumer in achieving one or moresteps to their goals. That is, producers may focus on providing productsand/or services that make goals easier to accomplish, or that mitigateevents that prevent goals from happening. In the exemplary embodiment,producers may provide products and/or services that fall into one ormore of the following categories: budget, savings, income generation,protection of assets, protection of health, community interaction, andbuilding and maintaining relationships. For example, a producer can bean individual or company that provides financial services and advice onusing those financial services. Those of skill in the art willappreciate that any suitable categories may be used. Once sufficientdata is collected for the consumer (e.g., behavioral, usage, and/orfeedback data) through the consumer's interactions with the LPMPplatform, the focus of products and services provided to the consumermay shift.

For example, products associated with the budget, savings, and/or incomegeneration categories may include checking and savings products,certificate of deposit (CD) products, credit card products, vehicle loanproducts, home mortgage loan products, home equity products, educationsavings plan products, retirement and IRA products, mutual fundproducts, annuity products, life insurance products, community offerproducts, home energy usage products, peer to peer car sharing products,etc. Further, example protection of assets products may includeautomobile insurance products, motorcycle insurance products, sport andleisure vehicle insurance products, identity restoration products, lifeinsurance products, health insurance products, disability insuranceproducts, liability insurance products, small business insuranceproducts, estate planning products, appliance failure detectionproducts, fire hazard detection products, home security products, powersystem products, etc.

Protection of health products may include elderly home monitoringproducts, health lifestyle support products, health monitoring products,etc. In addition, community interaction products may include communityoutreach and volunteering products, community grant products, communitysafety products, educational grant products, marketing sponsorshipproducts, non-profit assistance products, etc.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the above listed productsare merely examples, and that LPMP may enable consumers to access anysuitable product that facilitates fulfilling goals in their respectivelife maps.

Exemplary Life Plan Management System

FIG. 1 depicts a view of an exemplary life plan management (“LPM”)system 100 that may be used to implement the LPMP described herein. Inthe exemplary embodiment, LPM system 100 may be used in matching a user,or consumer, with a provider, or producer, based upon a life mapgenerated by the consumer and additional data. LPM system 100 mayinclude an LPM computing device 102. In some embodiments, LPM computingdevice 102 may be a server system.

In the exemplary embodiment, LPM computing device 102 is incommunication with client devices 104 and third party servers 106. LPMcomputing device 102 is also in communication with a database 118 andmay communicate with database 118 through a database server 116. In someembodiments, database server 116 is a component of LPM computing device102. In other embodiments, database server 116 is separate from LPMcomputing device 102. In some embodiments, LPM system 100 may include aplurality of LPM computing devices 102, client devices 104, third partyservers 106, and/or databases 118.

In the exemplary embodiment, client devices 104 may be computers thatinclude a web browser or a software application, which enables clientdevices 104 to access remote computer devices, such as LPM computingdevice 102, using the Internet or other network. More specifically,client devices 104 may be communicatively coupled to the Internetthrough many interfaces including, but not limited to, at least one of anetwork, such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide areanetwork (WAN), or an integrated services digital network (ISDN), adial-up-connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a cellular phoneconnection, and a cable modem. Client devices 104 may be any devicecapable of accessing the Internet including, but not limited to, adesktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA),a cellular phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a phablet, wearableelectronics, smart watch, or other web-based connectable equipment ormobile devices. Further, LPM computing device 102 may be communicativelycoupled to client devices 104 and may receive information from clientdevices 104. Client devices 104 may be operated, for example, byconsumers and/or producers using the LPMP.

In the exemplary embodiment, LPM computing device 102 may interact withthird party servers 106 associated with third parties that provideproducts. For example, LPM computing device 102 may communicate with anapplication associated with third party servers 106 to provide productsfor browsing and purchase by a consumer. LPM computing device 102 andthird party servers 106 may be communicatively coupled to one anotherthrough the Internet through many interfaces including, but not limitedto, at least one of a network, such as the Internet, a local areanetwork (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or an integrated servicesdigital network (ISDN), a dial-up-connection, a digital subscriber line(DSL), a cellular phone connection, and a cable modem.

Database server 116 may be communicatively coupled to database 118 thatstores data. In the exemplary embodiment, database 118 may be storedremotely from LPM computing device 102. In some embodiments, database118 may be decentralized. In the exemplary embodiment, a user, such as aconsumer or a producer, may access database 118 via their respectiveclient devices 104 by logging onto LPM computing device 102, asdescribed herein.

In the exemplary embodiment, client devices 104 include an LPMapplication 110 and a user interface 112. User interface 112 may beused, for example, to receive notifications from LPM computing device102 and/or to input and verify information to be sent to LPM computingdevice 102. LPM application 110 may be, for example, a program orapplication that runs on client device 104.

In some embodiments, LPM application 110 is accessed remotely by clientdevice 104. LPM application 110 may be hosted by or stored on LPMcomputing device 102 and accessed by client device 104. For example, LPMapplication 110 may be stored on and executed by LPM computing device102. Client device 104 may provide inputs to LPM computing device 102via a network which are used by LPM computing device 102 to execute LPMapplication 110. In one embodiment, these inputs may be received by awebsite hosted by LPM computing device 102. The website may furtherprovide output to client device 104. Client device 104 used by the user(e.g., a consumer or producer) has access to a website (e.g., hosted byLPM computing device 102), application (e.g., LPM application 110), orother tool which the user uses to interact with the LPMP. LPM system 100may be configured with additional, less, or alternate functionality,including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary User Computer Device

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration 200 of an exemplary usercomputing device 202. In some embodiments, user computing device 202 maybe in communication with a multi-sided match making computing device(such as LPM computing device 102, shown in FIG. 1). User computingdevice 202 may be representative of, but is not limited to clientdevices 104 and/or third party servers 106. For example, user computingdevice 202 may be a mobile device, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch,wearable electronic, laptop, desktop, or another type of computingdevice associated with an account holder (e.g., a consumer).

User computing device 202 may be operated by a user 204 (e.g., a user ofLPM system 100, shown in FIG. 1). User computing device 202 may receiveinput from user 204 via an input device 214. User computing device 202includes a processor 208 for executing instructions. In someembodiments, executable instructions may be stored in a memory area 210.Processor 208 may include one or more processing units (e.g., in amulti-core configuration), and processor 208 may include, be incommunication with, and/or be associated with one or more transceivers(not specifically shown). Memory area 210 may be any device allowinginformation such as executable instructions and/or user and registrationdata to be stored and retrieved. Memory area 210 may include one or morecomputer-readable media.

User computing device 202 also may include at least one media outputcomponent 212 for presenting information to user 204. Media outputcomponent 212 may be any component capable of conveying information touser 204 and may be used to at least partially implement user interface112 (shown in FIG. 1). In some embodiments, media output component 212may include an output adapter (not shown), such as a video adapterand/or an audio adapter. An output adapter may be operatively coupled toprocessor 208 and operatively coupleable to an output device, such as adisplay device (e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display(LCD), light emitting diode (LED) display, or “electronic ink” display)or an audio output device (e.g., a speaker or headphones).

In some embodiments, media output component 212 may be configured topresent a graphical user interface (e.g., a web browser and/or a clientapplication) to user 204. A graphical user interface may include, forexample, a life map for user 204 and/or an avatar dashboard for user204.

In some embodiments, user computing device 202 may include input device214 for receiving input from user 204. User 204 may use input device 214to, without limitation, interact with LPM system 100 (e.g., using LPMapplication 110), LPM computing device 102, or any of client devices 104and third party servers 106 (shown in FIG. 1). Input device 214 mayinclude, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus,and/or a touch sensitive panel (e.g., a touch pad or a touch screen) andmay be used to at least partially implement user interface 112 (shown inFIG. 1). A single component, such as a touch screen, may function asboth an output device of media output component 212 and input device214. User computing device 202 may further include at least one sensor,including, for example, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a positiondetector, a biometric input device, and/or an audio input device. Insome embodiments, at least some data collected by user computing device202 may be transmitted to LPM computing device 102. In the exemplaryembodiment, data collected by user computing device 202 may be includeda life map.

User computing device 202 may also include a communication interface216, communicatively coupled to any of LPM computing device 102, clientdevices 104, and third party servers 106. Communication interface 216may include, for example, a wired or wireless network adapter and/or awireless data transceiver for use with a mobile telecommunicationsnetwork.

Stored in memory area 210 may be, for example, computer-readableinstructions for providing a user interface to user 204 via media outputcomponent 212 and, optionally, receiving and processing input from inputdevice 214. The user interface may include, among other possibilities, aweb browser and/or a client application. Web browsers enable users, suchas user 204, to display and interact with media and other informationtypically embedded on a web page or a website hosted by LPM computingdevice 102 and/or client device 104. A client application may allow user204 to interact with, for example, any of LPM computing device 102,client devices 104, and third party servers 106. For example,instructions may be stored by a cloud service and the output of theexecution of the instructions sent to the media output component 212.User computing device 202 may include additional, less, or alternatefunctionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Server Device

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary configuration 300 of an exemplary servercomputing device 302, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentdisclosure. Server computer device 302 may include, but is not limitedto, LPM computing device 102 (shown in FIG. 1). Server computer device302 may include a processor 305 for executing instructions. Instructionsmay be stored in a memory area 310. Processor 305 may include one ormore processing units (e.g., in a multi-core configuration), andprocessor 305 may include, be in communication with, and/or beassociated with one or more transceivers (not specifically shown).

Processor 305 may be operatively coupled to a communication interface315 such that server computer device 302 may be capable of communicatingwith a remote device such as another server computer device 302 or auser computing device, such as client device 104 (shown in FIG. 1). Forexample, communication interface 315 may receive requests from ortransmit requests to client devices 104 via the Internet.

Processor 305 may also be operatively coupled to a storage device 325.Storage device 325 may be any computer-operated hardware suitable forstoring and/or retrieving data, such as, but not limited to, dataassociated with database 118 (shown in FIG. 1). In some embodiments,storage device 325 may be integrated in server computer device 302. Forexample, server computer device 302 may include one or more hard diskdrives as storage device 325. In other embodiments, storage device 325may be external to server computer device 302 and may be accessed by aplurality of server computer devices 302. For example, storage device325 may include a storage area network (SAN), a network attached storage(NAS) system, and/or multiple storage units such as hard disks and/orsolid state disks in a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID)configuration.

In some embodiments, processor 305 may be operatively coupled to storagedevice 325 via a storage interface 320. Storage interface 320 may be anycomponent capable of providing processor 305 with access to storagedevice 325. Storage interface 320 may include, for example, an AdvancedTechnology Attachment (ATA) adapter, a Serial ATA (SATA) adapter, aSmall Computer System Interface (SCSI) adapter, a RAID controller, a SANadapter, a network adapter, and/or any component providing processor 305with access to storage device 325.

Processor 305 executes computer-executable instructions for implementingaspects of the disclosure. In some embodiments, processor 305 may betransformed into a special purpose microprocessor by executingcomputer-executable instructions or by otherwise being programmed.

Exemplary Computer-Implemented Method

FIG. 4 depicts a flow chart illustrating a computer-implemented method400 for connecting consumers with producers. In the exemplaryembodiment, method 400 may be implemented by a life plan managementcomputing device such as LPM computing device 102 (shown in FIG. 1).

Method 400 may include receiving 402 user input from a client computingdevice (e.g., client device 104 shown in FIG. 1), the user inputincluding at least one goal for the consumer. Method 400 may alsoincluding analyzing 404 the at least one goal to determine a pluralityof categories associated with the at least one goal, and a plurality ofsub-categories associated with each category. Method 400 may furtherinclude storing 406 the plurality of categories and sub-categories inassociation with the at least one goal in a memory device (e.g.,database 118 shown in FIG. 1). Method 400 may further include analyzing408 at least one of the plurality of categories and/or subcategories todetermine a plurality of producers associated with the at least onecategory and/or sub-category, and storing 410, in the at least onememory device, the plurality of producers in association with the atleast one category and/or sub-category.

Further, method 400 may include generating 412 an interactive life mapfor the consumer. The interactive life map may include the at least onegoal, and may enable the consumer to access the plurality of producersby navigating the life map to select the at least one goal and the atleast one category and/or sub-category. Life maps, goals, categories,sub-categories, and producers are described below in detail. Method 400may further include causing 414 the interactive life map to be displayedon the client computing device. Method 400 may include additional, less,or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, as mentioned elsewhere herein, in one aspect, the consumerflow of interfacing with a life plan management (LPM) computing devicemay start with the creation of a life map, which is comprised of aseries of goals. Once a goal is selected, there may be links toassociated categories, sub-categories, and producers displayed to theuser, as discussed further herein. In some embodiments, the LPMcomputing device may generate an appointment for the consumer to meetwith a representative of the producer.

Exemplary Computer Device

FIG. 5 depicts a diagram 500 of components of one or more exemplarycomputing devices 510 that may be used in LPM system 200 (shown in FIG.1). In some embodiments, computing device 510 may be similar to LPMcomputing device 102 (shown in FIG. 1). Database 520 may be coupled withseveral separate components within computing device 510, which performspecific tasks. In this embodiment, database 520 may include goal data521, category data 522, producer data 523, and life map data 524. Insome embodiments, database 520 is similar to database 118 (shown in FIG.1).

Computing device 510 may also include a reception component 530 forreceiving user input. Computing device 510 may further include ananalytics component 540 for analyzing goals and categories, andsupporting application 110 (shown in FIG. 1). Computing device 510 mayfurther include a generation component 550 for generating a life map.Further, computing device 510 may include a display component 560 fordisplaying the generated life map on client device 104 (shown in FIG.1). Computing devices 510 may include additional, less, or alternatefunctionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Generation of a Life Map

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary interactive life map 600 that may begenerated, for example, using the LPMP described herein. Specifically, aconsumer may use LPMP to generate, maintain, and update life map 600that is customized to them. Life map 600 may include a plurality ofgoals 602 that the consumer would like to achieve. In the example shownin FIG. 6, life map 600 includes a first goal 604 representing theconsumer's desire for a dream home, a second goal 606 representing theconsumer's desire to participate in an exercise program, and so on. Forexample and without limitation, goals 602 may further include trainingfor a marathon, going on a hot air balloon ride, focusing on oneself,taking cooking classes, financial goals, getting a drone license,community involvement, education, having a better outlook on life, goingon a vacation, finding love, having a flexible lifestyle, etc. This listof goals is intended to be for example purposes only, and is notintended to be limiting in any way.

To generate life map 600, the consumer may access LPM computing device102 using client device 104 (both shown in FIG. 1). More specifically,the consumer may use application 110 and user interface 112 (both shownin FIG. 1) to interact with LPM computing device 102 to generate lifemap 600.

In the exemplary embodiment, user interface 112 may display a pluralityof predetermined potential goals as goal icons, and allow the consumerto select and drag and drop desired goal icons into a displayed space togenerate life map 600. Each goal icon represents a goal 602 for the lifemap 600. Specifically, when a potential goal icon is selected by beingdragged and dropped into the displayed space, that potential goal maybecome a goal 602 in life map 600 for that consumer. The predeterminedpotential goals may be stored, for example, in database 118. The usercan also use the user interface 112 to select the goal icons in otherways, such as but not limited to, clicking to select, dragging intopriority order, and other methods to build the life map 600. The usercan select multiple goal icons for addition in the life plan 600, wherethe LPM computing device 102 will update the life plan 600 based on theselections and deselections of the user.

Further, the consumer may also create goals other than the predeterminedpotential goals. For example, the consumer may, using user interface112, input customized goals to be included in life map, and/or may editpredetermined potential goals before inclusion in life map 600.Alternatively, consumers may generate life maps 600 using any suitableinterface and/or inputs.

In some embodiments, consumers may prioritize their goals 602 byassigning a ranking or other preference indicator to each goal 602. Thismay enable LPM computing device 102 to focus on assisting the consumerin achieving high priority goals instead of lower priority goals,allowing LPMP to function as a digital advisor to the consumer.

Exemplary Consumer Actions Using the Life Map

Once life map 600 is generated, the LPM computing device 102 may causethe life map 600 to be displayed to the user on the client device 104.Furthermore, the LPM computing device 102 may connect the consumer withproducers and/or products associated with life map 600. In the exemplaryembodiment, when life map 600 is generated, LPM computing device 102 mayassociate each goal 602 in life map 600 with a plurality of categoriesthat may assist the consumer with achieving that goal 602. Further, LPMcomputing device 102 may associate each category with a plurality ofrelated sub-categories. LPM computing device 102 may also associate eachsub-category with one or more producers that provide products within thesub-category. These associations between goals 602, categories,sub-categories, and producers may be stored, for example, in database118. These associations may be predetermined and/or may be generateddynamically (e.g., using machine learning).

When the consumer selects a particular goal 602 on their life map 600(e.g., using user interface 112), LPM computing device 102 may retrievethe categories associated with the selected goal 602 and display thosecategories, where each category may have different producers associatedwith it. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates an example category display 700that is generated and displayed when the consumer selects first goal604.

As shown in FIG. 7, category display 700 may include first goal 704 anda plurality of categories 702 associated with first goal 704. In thisexample, each displayed category 702 may assist the consumer infulfilling their first goal 704 of owning a dream home. For example,categories 702 may assist the consumer in financing the dream home,maintaining the dream home, preventing loss related to the dream home,etc. In some embodiments, the categories 702 can include milestones,steps, and/or actions for the consumer to take to achieve the goal. Eachmilestone may represent the completion of a series of steps and/oractions. The categories 702 can also include information about producersassociated with the different steps.

Further, in the exemplary embodiment, when the consumer selects aparticular category 702 (e.g., from category display 700) LPM computingdevice 102 may retrieve the sub-categories associated with the selectedcategory 702 and display those sub-categories. For example, FIG. 8illustrates an example sub-category display 800 that is generated anddisplayed when a category 702 related to preventing loss is selected.

As shown in FIG. 8, sub-category display 800 may include the selectedcategory 702 and a plurality of sub-categories 802 associated with theselected category 702. In this example, each displayed sub-category 802may assist the consumer in preventing losses related to their dreamhome. For example, sub-categories 802 may assist the consumer inpreventing loss from theft, fire, power outages, and water.

This hierarchical organization of goals 602, categories 702, andsub-categories 802 may enable consumers to quickly drill down to findproducers and products that will help them achieve their goals.

Exemplary Producer and Product Interactions

When the consumer selects a particular sub-category 802 (e.g., fromsub-category display 800), in the exemplary embodiment, LPM computingdevice 102 may retrieve producers associated with the selectedsub-category 802 and display those sub-categories. For example, FIG. 9illustrates an example producer display 900 that is generated anddisplayed when a sub-category 802 related to preventing losses fromtheft is selected.

As shown in FIG. 9, producer display 900 may include the selectedsub-category 802 and a plurality of producers 902 associated with theselected sub-category 802. In this example, each displayed producer 902may assist the consumer in preventing losses from theft for their dreamhome. For example, producers 902 may include various entities that offersecurity products (e.g., home security systems, cameras, door locks,etc.).

In the exemplary embodiment, producer display 900 may also display, infor each producer 902, producer feedback 904 that assists the consumerin selecting a particular producer 902. Producer feedback 904 mayinclude, for example, community reviews of producer 902 and a netpromotor score for producer 902 (e.g., retrieved from one or more thirdparty servers, such as third party server 106 (shown in FIG. 1)).Producer feedback 904 may assist the consumer in determining whichproducer 902 to obtain products from.

In the exemplary embodiment, LPM computing device 102 may cause userinterface 112 to display a feedback dashboard 1000 for one or moreproducers, as shown in FIG. 10. Feedback dashboard 1000 may bedisplayed, for example, upon the consumer selecting (e.g., via clientdevice 104) producer feedback 904 for a particular producer 902.Feedback dashboard 1000 may include more detailed feedback informationthan producer feedback 904 on producer display 900. For example,feedback dashboard 1000 may include a community review panel 1002including detailed community review information, and an industry reviewpanel 1004 including industry reviews of producer 902. Alternatively,feedback dashboard 1000 may display any type of feedback that may assistthe consumer in selecting a producer.

When the consumer selects a particular producer 902, by LPM computingdevice 102 may cause user interface 112 to display a producer portal1100, as shown in FIG. 11. Producer portal 1100 may include amarketplace interface 1102 that allows the consumer to purchase productsfrom the producer. For example, the marketplace interface 1102 may bethe website of the selected producer. Producer portal 1100 may alsoinclude one or more discount offers 1104 for products sold by producers.Accordingly, LPM computing device 102 (via LPMP) may enable the consumerto view feedback for multiple producers, select a producer based on thefeedback, and purchase products from the selected producer that assistthe consumer in achieving their goals.

In some embodiments, the LPM computing device 102 may generate anappointment for the consumer to meet with a representative of theproducer.

Exemplary Avatar Dashboard

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary avatar dashboard 1200 that may begenerated, for example, by LPM computing device 102. Avatar dashboard1200 includes data for a particular consumer, and each consumer usingLPMP may access their respective dashboard. For example, avatardashboard 1200 may display statistics for the consumer, includingtracking the consumer's progress towards realizing goals 602 in life map600.

Avatar dashboard 1200 may also include additional data, such as, but notlimited to, spending data, product purchase data, and/or other types ofdata useful to the consumer in fulfilling their goals. This data may beinput by the consumer, retrieved from database 118, and/or retrievedfrom third part servers 106 (both shown in FIG. 1). By displaying suchdata, avatar dashboard 1200 may enable the consumer to analyze their owndata, and identify issues in their data. For example, upon viewingavatar dashboard 1200, a consumer may determine that if they bring theirlunch to work every day, instead of purchasing lunch, they will save$100 a week that can be put towards their dream home. Further, in theexemplary embodiment, the consumer may control and manage what types ofdata are displayed on avatar dashboard 1200 and how that data isdisplayed. The LPMP computing device 102 may use the additional data togenerate, modify, or update the life map 600.

In some embodiments, the consumer can query LPM computing device 102 forsuggestions in achieving their goals. For example, via avatar dashboard1200, the consumer may ask LPM computing device 102 for a list ofsuggested actions that will help them purchase their dream home. Inresponse, LPM computing device 102 may apply data aggregation techniquesto the consumer's data to generate the list of suggested actions. Forexample, using machine learning, LPM computing device 102 may review theconsumer's spending data, and suggest to the consumer that they bringtheir lunch to work, and put the savings towards their dream home.

In the exemplary embodiment, LPM computing device 102 may alsoautomatically generate and transmit alerts to the consumer (e.g.,through application 110) when the consumer takes an action that impactsrealization of one of their goals. For example, if the consumer inputsdata indicating that they are planning on going on an internationalvacation, LPM computing device 102 may automatically generate and sendan alert to the consumer notifying them that the international vacationmay delay their ability to purchase their dream home. Further, LPMcomputing device 102 may also send alerts with suggested actions and/oralerts that remind the consumers to work towards their goals. Those ofskill in the art will appreciate that LPM computing device 102 maygenerate multiple different types of alerts to assist consumers inachieving goals. These alerts may be generated, in some embodiments,using machine learning techniques.

Notably, every interaction that a consumer has with the LPMP is an eventthat LPM computing device 102 can leverage to provide recommendations,alerts, etc. Further, LPM computing device 102 may analyze productspurchased (or not purchased) by consumers to identify missing producersor products that would be beneficial to add to the LPMP. Therecommendations may include at least one of a checklist, an article, avideo, and a testimonial.

In some embodiments, the LPM computing device 102 determines a currentposition for the consumer in relation to each goal in the LPMP. The LPMcomputing device 102 can determine that the consumer has completed amilestone, action, and/or step to achieving the goal and transmitnotifications to the consumer notifying the consumer of the completedmilestone, action, and/or step. The notification can be provided via theavatar dashboard 1200 and/or in a message or one or more signals to theconsumer, such as a text message, email, and/or other notificationsystem.

Using avatar dashboard 1200, a consumer can also share their owninsights with other consumers on the platform. For example, a firstconsumer may share with a second consumer that they were able to afforda new car by getting rid of cable television. In another example, afirst consumer may recommend a particular home security product to asecond consumer. Accordingly, consumers can become producers themselves,as they provide insights and product recommendations to other consumers.Through avatar dashboard 1200, a consumer may also view insights fromsimilar consumers (e.g., consumers with similar goals, spendingpatterns, etc.).

Using LPMP, consumers can also share their insights, goal progress, andother information with family member and friends through a shareablesocial media feed. For example, FIG. 13 shows an example social mediafeed 1300 for a consumer that participates in LPMP. In social media feed1300, the consumer may share goals they've achieved (e.g., the purchaseof a new car, taking an international vacation, etc.). Other users maycomment or supplement the shared information to further assist theconsumer. Further, the consumer may also share insights indicating howthey helped achieve those goals.

Exemplary Embodiments

In one embodiment, a life plan management (LPM) computing device forconnecting consumers with producers is provided. The LPM computingdevice is in communication with a client computing device and includesat least one processor in communication with at least one memory device.The at least one processor is programmed to i) receive user input fromthe client computing device, the user input including at least one goalfor the consumer, ii) analyze the at least one goal to determine aplurality of categories associated with the at least one goal, iii)store, in the at least one memory device, the plurality of categories inassociation with the at least one goal, iv) analyze at least one of theplurality of categories to determine a plurality of producers associatedwith the at least one category, v) store, in the at least one memorydevice, the plurality of producers in association with the at least onecategory, vi) generate an interactive life map for the consumer, theinteractive life map including the at least one goal, and enabling theconsumer to access the plurality of producers by navigating the life mapto select the at least one goal and the at least one category, vii) andcause the interactive life map to be displayed on the client computingdevice. The LPM computing device may include additional, less, oralternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the processor may be further programmed to receivespending data from the client computing device, analyze the spendingdata to determine a suggested consumer action that will increase alikelihood of the consumer fulfilling the at least one goal, generate analert including the suggested consumer action, and cause the alert to bedisplayed on the client computing device.

To analyze the at least one goal and at least one of the plurality ofcategories, the processor may be programmed to analyze the at least onegoal and the at least one of the plurality of categories using machinelearning.

The at least one goal may be a predetermined goal stored in the at leastone memory device. Further, the at least one goal may be a customizedgoal dynamically generated from the user input.

To analyze at least one of the plurality of categories, the processormay be further configured to analyze at least one of the plurality ofcategories to determine a plurality of sub-categories associated withthe at least one category, and analyze at least one of the plurality ofsub-categories to determine the plurality of producers.

The processor may be further configured to retrieve producer feedbackassociated with each of the plurality of producers, and cause theproducer feedback for each producer to be displayed in association withthe producer on the client device. The producer feedback may includecommunity reviews and a net promotor score.

The processor may be further configured to generate a feedback dashboardfor at least one producer of the plurality of producers, the feedbackdashboard including a community review panel and an industry reviewpanel, and cause the feedback dashboard to be displayed on the clientcomputing device.

The processor may be further configured to generate a producer portalfor at least one producer of the plurality of producers, the producerportal including a marketplace interface that allows the consumer topurchase products from the producer, and cause the producer portal to bedisplayed on the client computing device.

The processor may be further configured to generate an avatar dashboardfor the consumer, the avatar dashboard including statistics associatedwith the life map of the consumer, and cause the avatar dashboard to bedisplayed on the client computing device. The statistics may include atleast one of i) consumer progress towards realizing the at least onegoal, ii) consumer spending data, iii) and consumer product purchasedata. The avatar dashboard may allow the consumer to generate and shareinsights with other consumers.

The processor may be further configured to allow the consumer to share asocial media feed that includes data associated with the life plan ofthe consumer.

In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method for connectingconsumers with producers is implemented using a life plan management(LPM) computing device in communication with a client computing device.The LPM computing device includes at least one processor incommunication with at least one memory device. The method includes i)receiving user input from the client computing device, the user inputincluding at least one goal for the consumer, ii) analyzing the at leastone goal to determine a plurality of categories associated with the atleast one goal, iii) storing, in the at least one memory device, theplurality of categories in association with the at least one goal, iv)analyzing at least one of the plurality of categories to determine aplurality of producers associated with the at least one category, v)storing, in the at least one memory device, the plurality of producersin association with the at least one category, vi) generating aninteractive life map for the consumer, the interactive life mapincluding the at least one goal, and enabling the consumer to access theplurality of producers by navigating the life map to select the at leastone goal and the at least one category, and vii) causing the interactivelife map to be displayed on the client computing device. The method mayinclude additional, less, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the method may further include receiving spending datafrom the client computing device, analyzing the spending data todetermine a suggested consumer action that will increase a likelihood ofthe consumer fulfilling the at least one goal, generating an alertincluding the suggested consumer action, and causing the alert to bedisplayed on the client computing device.

Analyzing the at least one goal and at least one of the plurality ofcategories may include analyzing the at least one goal and the at leastone of the plurality of categories using machine learning.

The at least one goal may be a predetermined goal stored in the at leastone memory device. Further, the at least one goal may be a customizedgoal dynamically generated from the user input.

Analyzing at least one of the plurality of categories may includeanalyzing at least one of the plurality of categories to determine aplurality of sub-categories associated with the at least one category,and analyzing at least one of the plurality of sub-categories todetermine the plurality of producers.

The method may further include retrieving producer feedback associatedwith each of the plurality of producers, and causing the producerfeedback for each producer to be displayed in association with theproducer on the client device. The producer feedback may includecommunity reviews and a net promotor score.

The method may further include generating a feedback dashboard for atleast one producer of the plurality of producers, the feedback dashboardincluding a community review panel and an industry review panel, andcausing the feedback dashboard to be displayed on the client computingdevice.

The method may further include generating a producer portal for at leastone producer of the plurality of producers, the producer portalincluding a marketplace interface that allows the consumer to purchaseproducts from the producer, and causing the producer portal to bedisplayed on the client computing device.

The method may further include generating an avatar dashboard for theconsumer, the avatar dashboard including statistics associated with thelife map of the consumer, and causing the avatar dashboard to bedisplayed on the client computing device. The statistics may include atleast one of i) consumer progress towards realizing the at least onegoal, ii) consumer spending data, iii) and consumer product purchasedata. The avatar dashboard may allow the consumer to generate and shareinsights with other consumers.

The method may further include sharing a social media feed that includesdata associated with the life plan of the consumer.

In a further embodiment, a life plan management (LPM) computing deviceis provided. The LPM computing device includes at least one processor incommunication with at least one memory device. The LPM computing deviceis in communication with a client computing device. The at least oneprocessor is programmed to i) cause a plurality of goal icons to bedisplayed on the client computing device, where each goal icon of theplurality of goal icons is associated with a goal of a plurality ofgoals, ii) receive user input from the client computing device, the userinput including at least one goal icon selected by a consumer associatedwith the client computing device, iii) determine at least one goalassociated with the selected at least one goal icon; iv) generate aninteractive life plan for the consumer, the life plan including the atleast one goal, and one or more steps for the consumer to achieve the atleast one goal; and v) cause the interactive life plan to be displayedon the client computing device. The LPM computing device may includeadditional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein.

For instance, the processor may be further programmed to receive asecond user input from the client computing device. The second userinput including a user selection of a second goal icon. The processormay also be programmed to determine the selected goal associated withthe second goal icon and adjust the life plan based on the selectedgoal.

The processor may be further programmed to determine a producerassociated with one goal in the life plan and enable the consumer toaccess the producer via the client computing device. Additionally, theprocessor may be programmed to display a plurality of producersassociated with the one goal in the life plan, wherein the consumer isable to select one or more producers of the plurality of producers.Furthermore, the processor may be programmed to generate an appointmentbetween the consumer and the producer.

The processor may be further programmed to determine a plurality ofsteps associated with each goal in the life plan and store the pluralityof steps in the life plan. Additionally, the processor may be furtherprogrammed to determine a current position for the consumer for eachgoal in the life plan. Furthermore, the processor may be furtherprogrammed to determine that the consumer has completed a step based onthe current position for the consumer with the corresponding goal andcause a notification to be displayed on the client computing device thatthe consumer has completed the step. Moreover, the processor may beprogrammed to receive one or more signals indicating that the consumerhas completed the step.

The processor may be further programmed to receive additional data aboutthe consumer and generate the life plan based on the at least one goalspecified by the consumer and the additional data. Additionally, theprocessor may be programmed to receive spending data from the clientcomputing device, analyze the spending data to determine a suggestedconsumer action that will increase a likelihood of the consumerfulfilling the at least one goal, generate an alert including thesuggested consumer action, and cause the alert to be displayed on theclient computing device.

The processor may be further programmed to receive a user input on agoal in the interactive life plan and cause one or more steps of thegoal to be displayed in response to the user input.

The processor may be further programmed to receive a user inputindicating a first priority of a first goal and a second priority of asecond goal of the interactive life plan and cause the display of theone or more steps of the first goal to be displayed in relation to theone or more steps of the second goal based on the first priority and thesecond priority.

The processor may be further programmed to cause recommendations to bedisplayed on the client computing device to assist the consumer toachieve at least one goal of the life plan, the recommendations includeat least one of a checklist, an article, a video, and a testimonial.

In still further embodiment, a computer-implemented method forconnecting consumers with producers is provided. The method isimplemented using a life plan management (LPM) computing deviceincluding at least one processor in communication with at least onememory device. The LPM computing device is in communication with aclient computing device. The method includes i) causing a plurality ofgoal icons to be displayed on the client computing device, where eachgoal icon of the plurality of goal icons is associated with a goal of aplurality of goals, ii) receiving user input from the client computingdevice, the user input including at least one goal icon selected by aconsumer associated with the client computing device, iii) determiningat least one goal associated with the selected at least one goal icon,iv) generating an interactive life plan for the consumer, the life planincluding the at least one goal, and one or more steps for the consumerto achieve the at least one goal, and v) causing the interactive lifeplan to be displayed on the client computing device. The method mayinclude additional, less, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the method may further include receiving a second userinput from the client computing device. The second user input includinga user selection of a second goal icon. The method may also includedetermining the selected goal associated with the second goal icon andadjusting the life plan based on the selected goal.

The method may further include determining a producer associated withone goal in the life plan and enabling the consumer to access theproducer via the client computing device. Additionally, the method mayinclude displaying a plurality of producers associated with the one goalin the life plan, wherein the consumer is able to select one or moreproducers of the plurality of producers. Furthermore, the method mayinclude generating an appointment between the consumer and the producer.

The method may further include determining a plurality of stepsassociated with each goal in the life plan, storing the plurality ofsteps in the life plan, determining a current position for the consumerfor each goal in the life plan, determining that the consumer hascompleted a step based on the current position for the consumer with thecorresponding goal, and causing a notification to be displayed on theclient computing device that the consumer has completed the step.

Machine Learning & Other Matters

The computer systems and computer-implemented methods discussed hereinmay include additional, less, or alternate actions and/orfunctionalities, including those discussed elsewhere herein. Thecomputer systems may include or be implemented via computer-executableinstructions stored on non-transitory computer-readable media. Themethods may be implemented via one or more local or remote processors,transceivers, servers, and/or sensors (such as processors, transceivers,servers, and/or sensors mounted on mobile computing devices, orassociated with smart infrastructure or remote servers), and/or viacomputer executable instructions stored on non-transitorycomputer-readable media or medium.

In some embodiments, a life plan management (LPM) computing device mayimplement machine learning, such that the LPM computing device “learns”to analyze, organize, and/or process data without being explicitlyprogrammed. Machine learning may be implemented through machine learningmethods and algorithms (“ML methods and algorithms”). In an exemplaryembodiment, a machine learning module (“ML module”) is configured toimplement ML methods and algorithms. In some embodiments, ML methods andalgorithms are applied to data inputs and generate machine learningoutputs (“ML outputs”). Data inputs may include but are not limited to:goal data, consumer spending data, consumer purchase data, consumerinsights, third party data, etc. ML outputs may include but are notlimited to: generated categories and/or sub-categories, consumer alerts,consumer recommendations, product recommendations, identified gaps incurrently available producers/products, etc. In some embodiments, datainputs may include certain ML outputs.

In some embodiments, at least one of a plurality of ML methods andalgorithms may be applied, which may include but are not limited to:linear or logistic regression, instance-based algorithms, regularizationalgorithms, decision trees, Bayesian networks, cluster analysis,association rule learning, artificial neural networks, deep learning,combined learning, reinforced learning, dimensionality reduction, andsupport vector machines. In various embodiments, the implemented MLmethods and algorithms are directed toward at least one of a pluralityof categorizations of machine learning, such as supervised learning,unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning.

In one embodiment, the ML module employs supervised learning, whichinvolves identifying patterns in existing data to make predictions aboutsubsequently received data. Specifically, the ML module is “trained”using training data, which includes example inputs and associatedexample outputs. Based upon the training data, the ML module maygenerate a predictive function which maps outputs to inputs and mayutilize the predictive function to generate ML outputs based upon datainputs. The example inputs and example outputs of the training data mayinclude any of the data inputs or ML outputs described above. Forexample, a ML module may receive training data comprising goal data witha consumer. The ML module may then generate a plurality of categoriesassociated with each goal, a plurality of sub-categories associated witheach category, and a plurality of producers associated with eachsub-category. The ML module may then generate an interactive life mapfor the consumer based on this data.

In another embodiment, an ML module may employ unsupervised learning,which involves finding meaningful relationships in unorganized data.Unlike supervised learning, unsupervised learning does not involveuser-initiated training based upon example inputs with associatedoutputs. Rather, in unsupervised learning, the ML module may organizeunlabeled data according to a relationship determined by at least one MLmethod/algorithm employed by the ML module. Unorganized data may includeany combination of data inputs and/or ML outputs as described above. Forexample, a ML module may receive unlabeled data comprising goal data,consumer spending data, and consumer purchase data. The ML module mayemploy an unsupervised learning method such as “clustering” to identifypatterns and organize the unlabeled data into meaningful groups. Thenewly organized data may be used, for example, to recommend actions thata consumer can take to help achieve their goals.

In yet another embodiment, a ML module may employ reinforcementlearning, which involves optimizing outputs based upon feedback from areward signal. Specifically, the ML module may receive a user-definedreward signal definition, receive a data input, utilize adecision-making model to generate a ML output based upon the data input,receive a reward signal based upon the reward signal definition and theML output, and alter the decision-making model so as to receive astronger reward signal for subsequently generated ML outputs. Othertypes of machine learning may also be employed, including deep orcombined learning techniques.

The reward signal definition may be based upon any of the data inputs orML outputs described above. For example, a ML module may implementreinforcement learning in generating life maps for users. The ML modulemay utilize a decision-making model to generate data for consumers basedupon their goal data, and may further receive user-satisfaction dataindicating a level of satisfaction experienced by a consumer regardingthe interactive life map generated for them. A reward signal may begenerated based on the user-satisfaction data. Using upon the rewardsignal, the ML module may update the decision-making model such thatsubsequently generated life maps more accurately predict usersatisfaction.

Additional Considerations

With the foregoing, consumers are connected to producers and productsthat may help them achieve their goals. The systems and methodsdescribed herein may also automatically determine suggested actions tohelp the consumer, and provide those suggested actions to the consumeras alerts. Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein ensurethat consumers are quickly connected with producers and products thatwill assist them in realizing their goals.

As will be appreciated based upon the foregoing specification, theabove-described embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented usingcomputer programming or engineering techniques including computersoftware, firmware, hardware or any combination or subset thereof. Anysuch resulting program, having computer-readable code means, may beembodied or provided within one or more computer-readable media, therebymaking a computer program product, i.e., an article of manufacture,according to the discussed embodiments of the disclosure. Thecomputer-readable media may be, for example, but is not limited to, afixed (hard) drive, diskette, optical disk, magnetic tape, semiconductormemory such as read-only memory (ROM), and/or any transmitting/receivingmedium such as the Internet or other communication network or link. Thearticle of manufacture containing the computer code may be made and/orused by executing the code directly from one medium, by copying the codefrom one medium to another medium, or by transmitting the code over anetwork.

These computer programs (also known as programs, software, softwareapplications, “apps”, or code) include machine instructions for aprogrammable processor, and can be implemented in a high-levelprocedural and/or object-oriented programming language, and/or inassembly/machine language. As used herein, the terms “machine-readablemedium” “computer-readable medium” refers to any computer programproduct, apparatus and/or device (e.g., magnetic discs, optical disks,memory, Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)) used to provide machineinstructions and/or data to a programmable processor, including amachine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as amachine-readable signal. The “machine-readable medium” and“computer-readable medium,” however, do not include transitory signals.The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used to providemachine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor.

As used herein, a processor may include any programmable systemincluding systems using micro-controllers, reduced instruction setcircuits (RISC), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), logiccircuits, and any other circuit or processor capable of executing thefunctions described herein. The above examples are example only, and arethus not intended to limit in any way the definition and/or meaning ofthe term “processor.”

As used herein, the terms “software” and “firmware” are interchangeable,and include any computer program stored in memory for execution by aprocessor, including RAM memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROMmemory, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) memory. The above memory types areexample only, and are thus not limiting as to the types of memory usablefor storage of a computer program.

In one embodiment, a computer program is provided, and the program isembodied on a computer readable medium. In an exemplary embodiment, thesystem is executed on a single computer system, without requiring aconnection to a server computer. In a further embodiment, the system isbeing run in a Windows® environment (Windows is a registered trademarkof Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.). In yet another embodiment,the system is run on a mainframe environment and a UNIX® serverenvironment (UNIX is a registered trademark of X/Open Company Limitedlocated in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom). The application isflexible and designed to run in various different environments withoutcompromising any major functionality. In some embodiments, the systemincludes multiple components distributed among a plurality of computingdevices. One or more components may be in the form ofcomputer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium.The systems and processes are not limited to the specific embodimentsdescribed herein. In addition, components of each system and eachprocess can be practiced independent and separate from other componentsand processes described herein. Each component and process can also beused in combination with other assembly packages and processes.

In some embodiments, registration of users for the life plan managementplatform includes opt-in informed consent of users to data usageconsistent with consumer protection laws and privacy regulations. Insome embodiments, the collected data may be anonymized and/or aggregatedprior to receipt such that no personally identifiable information (PII)is received. In other embodiments, the system may be configured toreceive registration data and/or other collected data that is not yetanonymized and/or aggregated, and thus may be configured to anonymizeand aggregate the data. In such embodiments, any PII received by thesystem is received and processed in an encrypted format, or is receivedwith the consent of the individual with which the PII is associated. Insituations in which the systems discussed herein collect personalinformation about individuals, or may make use of such personalinformation, the individuals may be provided with an opportunity tocontrol whether such information is collected or to control whetherand/or how such information is used. In addition, certain data may beprocessed in one or more ways before it is stored or used, so thatpersonally identifiable information is removed.

As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceededwith the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding pluralelements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited.Furthermore, references to “exemplary embodiment” or “one embodiment” ofthe present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excludingthe existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate therecited features.

The patent claims at the end of this document are not intended to beconstrued under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless traditionalmeans-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as “means for”or “step for” language being expressly recited in the claim(s).

This written description uses examples to disclose the disclosure,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the disclosure, including making and using any devicesor systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scopeof the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include otherexamples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples areintended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structuralelements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, orif they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantialdifferences from the literal language of the claims.

I claim:
 1. A life plan management (LPM) computing device comprising atleast one processor in communication with at least one memory device,the LPM computing device in communication with a consumer computingdevice associated with a consumer and a producer computing deviceassociated with a producer, wherein the producer is a provider of goodsor services, and including, the at least one processor programmed to:receive, from the consumer computing device associated with theconsumer, a request from the consumer for generating an interactive lifeplan including at least one goal; transmit, to the consumer computingdevice, executable instructions to cause a plurality of goal icons to bedisplayed on the consumer computing device, wherein each goal icon ofthe plurality of goal icons is associated with a goal of a plurality ofgoals including the at least one goal; receive user input from theconsumer computing device, the user input including at least one goalicon selected by the consumer associated with the consumer computingdevice; determine at least one goal associated with the selected atleast one goal icon; generate the interactive life plan for theconsumer, the life plan including the at least one goal, and one or moresteps for the consumer to achieve the at least one goal; transmit, tothe consumer computing device, executable instructions to cause theinteractive life plan to be displayed on the consumer computing devices;determine a producer associated with one goal in the life plan; generatean appointment scheduled between the consumer and the producer of theplurality of producers; and transmit an appointment message representingthe generated appointment to the consumer computing device and theproducer computing device for storing on said devices.
 2. The LPMcomputing device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor isfurther programmed to: receive a second user input from the consumer viathe consumer computing device, the second user input including a userselection of a second goal icon; determine the selected goal associatedwith the second goal icon by performing a lookup in the at least onememory device using the second goal icon; and adjust the life plan basedon the selected goal.
 3. The LPM computing device of claim 1, whereinthe at least one processor is further programmed to: enable the consumerto access the producer via the consumer computing device by causing alink associated with the producer to be displayed on the consumercomputing device.
 4. The LPM computing device of claim 3, wherein the atleast one processor is further programmed to display a plurality ofproducers associated with the one goal in the life plan, wherein theconsumer is able to select one or more producers of the plurality ofproducers.
 5. The LPM computing device of claim 1, wherein the at leastone processor is further programmed to: determine a plurality of stepsassociated with each goal in the life plan; and store the plurality ofsteps in the life plan.
 6. The LPM computing device of claim 5, whereinthe at least one processor is further programmed to determine a currentstatus for the consumer for completing each goal in the life plan. 7.The LPM computing device of claim 6, wherein the at least one processoris further programmed to: determine that the consumer has completed astep based on the current status for the consumer with the correspondinggoal; and cause a notification to be displayed on the consumer computingdevice that the consumer has completed the step.
 8. The LPM computingdevice of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is furtherprogrammed to receive one or more signals indicating that the consumerhas completed the step.
 9. The LPM computing device of claim 1, whereinthe at least one processor is further programmed to: receive additionaldata about the consumer; and generate the life plan based on the atleast one goal specified by the consumer and the additional data. 10.The LPM computing device of claim 9, wherein the additional data aboutthe consumer includes spending data, and wherein the at least oneprocessor is further programmed to: receive spending data from theconsumer computing device; analyze the spending data to determine asuggested consumer action that will increase a likelihood of theconsumer fulfilling the at least one goal; generate an alert includingthe suggested consumer action; and cause the alert to be displayed onthe consumer computing device.
 11. The LPM computing device of claim 1,wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: receive auser input on a goal of the at least one goal in the interactive lifeplan; and cause one or more steps of the goal to be displayed inresponse to the user input.
 12. The LPM computing device of claim 1,wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: receive,from the consumer computing device, a user input indicating a firstpriority of a first goal and a second priority of a second goal of theinteractive life plan; and cause, the display of the consumer computingdevice, to display the one or more steps of the first goal to bedisplayed in relation to the one or more steps of the second goal basedon the first priority and the second priority.
 13. The LPM computingdevice of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is furtherprogrammed to cause recommendations to be displayed on the consumercomputing device to assist the consumer to achieve at least one goal ofthe life plan, wherein the recommendations include at least one of achecklist, an article, a video, and a testimonial.
 14. Acomputer-implemented method for life plan management, the methodimplemented using a life plan management (LPM) computing devicecomprising at least one processor in communication with at least onememory device, the LPM computing device in communication with a consumercomputing device associated with a consumer and a producer computingdevice associated with a producer, wherein the producer is a provider ofgoods or services, and including at least one processor in communicationwith at least one memory device, the method comprising: receiving, fromthe consumer computing device, a request from the consumer forgenerating an interactive life plan including at least one goal;transmitting, to the consumer computing device, executable instructionsto cause a plurality of goal icons to be displayed on the consumercomputing device, wherein each goal icon of the plurality of goal iconsis associated with a goal of a plurality of goals including the at leastone goal; receiving user input from the consumer computing device, theuser input including at least one goal icon selected by the consumerassociated with the consumer computing device; determining at least onegoal associated with the selected at least one goal icon; generating theinteractive life plan for the consumer, the life plan including the atleast one goal, and one or more steps for the consumer to achieve the atleast one goal; transmit, to the consumer computing device, executableinstructions to cause the interactive life plan to be displayed on theconsumer computing device; determining a producer associated with onegoal in the life plan; generating an appointment scheduled between theconsumer and the producer of the plurality of producers; andtransmitting an appointment message represented the generatedappointment to the consumer computing device and the producer computingdevice for storing on said devices.
 15. The method of claim 14 furthercomprising: receiving a second user input from the consumer via theconsumer computing device, the second user input including a userselection of a second goal icon; determining the selected goalassociated with the second goal icon; and adjusting the life plan basedon the selected goal.
 16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:enabling the consumer to access the producer via the consumer computingdevice by causing a link associated with the producer to be displayed onthe consumer computing device.
 17. The method of claim 16 furthercomprising displaying a plurality of producers associated with the onegoal in the life plan, wherein the consumer is able to select one ormore producers of the plurality of producers.
 18. The method of claim 14further comprising: determining a plurality of steps associated witheach goal in the life plan; storing the plurality of steps in the lifeplan; determining a current status for the consumer for completing eachgoal in the life plan; determining that the consumer has completed astep based on the current status for the consumer with the correspondinggoal; and causing a notification to be displayed on the consumercomputing device that the consumer has completed the step.
 19. Themethod of claim 14 further comprising: receiving additional data aboutthe consumer; and generating the life plan based on the at least onegoal specified by the consumer and the additional data.
 20. The methodof claim 19, wherein the additional data about the consumer includesspending data and the method further comprises: analyzing the spendingdata to determine a suggested consumer action that will increase alikelihood of the consumer fulfilling the at least one goal; generatingan alert including the suggested consumer action; and causing the alertto be displayed on the consumer computing device.